Why You Shouldn't Hang Lights In the Middle of the Night
by thelastsarahbender
Summary: Ben tries to hang holiday lights in the middle of the night. Tory thinks he's stupid.


" _Sleigh bells ring, are ya listening…_ " I hummed, heading to turn out the lights. I paused for a minute to admire the view outside. Morris might be tiny, but we didn't skip on Christmas decorations. Our windows were done up with lights and wreaths. Garlands were wrapped around stoop railings. Reindeer stood sentry to our walkway. All that, and our setup seemed modest next to some of our neighbors.

Christmas was only a week away. I was personally hoping for snow, which the boys had laughed at. It didn't seem too unreasonable this year, though. The temperature was dipping into the thirties at night.

As I stared outside, lost in thought, I heard something. A kind of scraping sound. I peered out, trying to locate the source. Then I jumped as someone yelled a few choice four-letter words.

I threw open my door and darted outside. A figure was lying on the ground several units down, groaning. "Holy crap, are you okay?"

He rolled over. The Anderson's lights lit up his face. "Tory?"

"Ben?" I hurried over. "What happened?"

He feebly pointed at his place. "I was trying to hang some lights. The ladder slipped."

"You were hanging lights?" I repeated in disbelief.

"That's what I just said."

"It's eleven o'clock!"

"So?"

"So it's dark out! That's why we hang our lights during the _day_. So we don't kill ourselves."

"Whoops."

I sighed. "Are you hurt?"

"Maybe. Had the wind knocked out of me." He sat up and winced. "My arm's kinda messed up, though."

I knelt and looked at it. A massive scrape was oozing blood. He would have an ugly bruise, but at least it wasn't broken.

I took his good hand and helped him up. "Aren't you cold?" He was wearing his typical back tee and jeans. I was in ratty sweats that offered no protection from the chilly night air.

"Yeah, I guess. Didn't really notice it."

"You're shivering." I tugged him towards my place. "Come on."

He followed half-heartedly. "Why?"

"I'm gonna put your arm back together."

"Goody." He let me lead him inside.

I pointed to the chair. "Sit down." He obeyed as I grabbed the first-aid kit. "So, why were you putting up lights so late?"

He shrugged with his non-injured shoulder. "I was bored."

"Try waiting till morning next time," I suggested, taking out disinfectant spray. "Give me your arm."

He hissed through clenched teeth as I sprayed the wound. "Man, that burns."

"You know what hurts more? Infections. Amputations. I'm saving your arm." I grabbed some bandages. "Your _freezing cold_ arm. Why didn't you wear a jacket?"

"Didn't feel like it." He glanced at the cookie jar. It was filled with red-and-green sprinkled deliciousness, courtesy of Whitney. "Can I have one?"

"If you hold still." I tied off the bandage. "There you go."

"It still hurts." He took three cookies.

"Poor baby." I stole one of his cookies. "Want me to kiss it so it feels better?"

"I really, really don't. And it only hurts because of that spray you put on it."

"I saved your arm. You'd be armless if I wasn't there."

"I could have washed it off myself."

"Uh-huh." I put away the first-aid kit. "So are your Christmas lights up yet, or did you not finish?"

"I was putting up the last section before I fell. Wanna see?"

"Sure." I shot him a look. "Let me grab a _jacket_ , so I don't _freeze_."

"You do that."

I threw on my Northface and followed him outside, to his unit. It took a minute for him to find the dangling cord in the dark with only the dim lights from the other units as a guide. Then he lit them up.

His unit blazed to life, the lights wreathing his windows and bathing the yard with a soft glow. I sighed in appreciation and glanced at Ben. He was staring at the lights, almost trance-like, without a scowl for once. Something twisted around deep in my stomach. I pretended not to know what it meant.

Then he looked back at me, and I looked back, and the whole world seemed to fade out for just a second. Warning sirens went off in my head. _Bad idea, Brennan._

He turned away first. "Um, I should probably go in. It's getting cold."

"Nice job on the lights," I told him, tearing my eyes away. "I mean, the solid white is a little conservative, but still respectable. I'm proud of you."

"Glad to hear it," he said dryly. "So, uh, goodnight."

"Night." I gave a little wave, then left for my stoop. Opening my door, I snuck a peek as he went inside. Blew out a breath before locking up and shrugging out of my jacket. It was a cold night, but I was feeling a little warm.

 **HAPPY HOLIDAYS!**


End file.
